British Standard BS 6658:1985 and carry the BSI KitemarkUNECE Regulation 22.05a European Economic Area member standard offering at least the same safety and protection as BS 6658:1985, and carry a mark equivalent to the BSI Kitemark

PJT you are quite correct but due to the wonders of the interweb, not impossible to buy a non compliant helmet from overseas. Not to mention there being a few unscrupulous traders out there willing to peddle cheap imported (and potentially illegal) shite to those looking for a "bargain"

And yes a an ACU Silver or Gold sticker is required for off road competition. A few years ago conterfeit ones were readily available on eBay but that trade seems to have dried up thankfully.

Visor and safety glasses for me too.I find goggles to vision restricting, too hot in summer and too many gaps in winter for the cold and wet to get onto my face.

I've got a Shoei Hornet, which is a pretty good helmet but the Pinlock anti-mist is useless in it and it has no drop down sun visor so I would go for something different next time.I had bought a Wulfsport but it gave me horrendous headaches after an hour from pressure points on the side of my temples - a good comfy helmet otherwise so worth a look at and dirt cheap. I need to try and cut the foam back a tad to see if I can still try and use it.I think that is a personal issue, not a general one as plenty of people have them and they seem ok - just me with a weird head (amongst other things).

If you already have a helmet for road riding then look at getting a cheap MX lid (it should be road legal unless it's a BMX helmet).

I used to work in the motorcycle trade and my advice is NOT to buy on the internet...you need to try a range of helmets/sizes until you find the right one...it really is worth paying a tenner extra to be sure of the best possible fit. Try on with goggles to make sure the two fit together comfortably. Always go for fit over brand preference (we all know Arai helmets are excellent...but I find most Arai helmets unwearable as they are made for Japanese people with little jaws and noses). Bear in mind that your head will get very hot...you need a helmet that won't boil your brain.

The most important kit you can buy is boots. You might bang your head trail riding, you will hit your feet on rocks and stumps, and trap your lower leg when you fall off. MX boots are most protective, but very stiff. Trials boots are softer, give more feel, but less protection. Given that most of Wales' trails are rocky, I'd go for the MX boots. Get the kind with 'gripper' not 'slipper' soles. Again fit and comfort are more important than brand, and, again, I would buy from a shop where you can put the boots on. Don't pay extra for 'waterproof' boots....they have a hole in the top where your leg goes which lets the water in!

If you go to Halfords you can buy BMX elbow and knee guards which are just as good as motorbike ones for trail riding, but a fraction of the price.

For what it's worth, glasses are more 'friendly' than goggles as well when you meet the odd non biker.I won't go as far as an open faced helmet though - I get hit in the face by branches often enough as it is without the risk of a face plant as well.Watching a guy in front of me fall off in India a couple of years ago and seeing him desperately, and successfully, thank goodness, trying to lift his face off the road was scary.I do wear a trials helmet for horse trials though as they are better for the horses and also the, calculated, risk is a lot less riding in an open field.

I've just binned an Acerbis Impact helmet. Very Comfy and well ventilated (wore it for up to 8 hours a day for seven days in Morocco last year), reasonable price (I paid £140) and very light. Road legal and ACU Gold sticker.

So why have I binned it?

At the recent Ryedale Rally it was hanging on the handlebar of my bike at the start but fell off onto a stony track, taking a big chunk out of the shell. Later that day I got roosted by a fellow competitor and a rock smashed the peak (and the screw mountings) clean off (very thankful I was wearing some nice substantial Oakley Crowbar goggles)

Luckily i have a brand new Lazer MX6 sitting in the box at home, a discontinued model that I was able to pick up on-line for £50 when they were about £200 new. Not as comfy as the Acerbis so looks like I'm in the market for a new helmet too

I managed to get the old helmet to last the two days of the rally, thanks to a marshal having a roll of parcel tape on him (later upgraded to gaffa tape)

The ACU gold sticker was redundant ever since the company themselves sold the stickers to non approved Chinese evilbay helmet company's. Apparently' the £150 SUOMY MR JUMP is regarded as the safest mx/enduro helmet design on the medium budget market, been toying with the idea of getting one of these when my Chinese £40 "ACU gold sticker" Xone interceptor (Nitro) finally wears out.

Never been a fan of hybrid mx helmets with visors' despite anti fog inserts + Respro foggy mask they always steamed up. The Shark Vancore is a street bandit/jet pilot helmet that uses goggles which fit inline with the jaw piece meaning less wind draft + better protection from rain & hailstones at the price of reduced maximum venting in hot weather.

Speaking of weather types: in cold weather i tape over all vents' shove piece of sponge in the mouth vent & use the PROLINE WINDJAMMER 2. I always wear an EVS R2 neck support collar & pair of goggles with the nose roost guard piece, i protest that goggles manufactured without this protective nose guard are design flawed & unsafe for all riding conditions. Here's a pic of the above helmet/collar/goggle/windjammer 2 setup https://s19.postimg.org/5ro9jcteb/13179 ... 0810_n.jpg

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